Nam Prik Pao

Ingredients

• 1 cup shallots, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup garlic cloves, peeled and halved
• 3/4 cup dried Thai chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil, divided
• 1/4 cup dried shrimp
• 1/4 cup palm sugar, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons tamarind paste
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Method

1. 1

   Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a 9-inch skillet over medium heat and fry the shallots, stirring often, until deeply golden and crisp at the edges, about 8 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

   8:00 · Fry shallots
2. 2

   Add another tablespoon of oil to the skillet and fry the garlic until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside with the shallots.

   4:00 · Fry garlic
3. 3

   Add the dried chiles to the skillet and fry briefly, stirring constantly, until fragrant and slightly darkened, about 1 minute. Remove and set aside; take care not to let them scorch or burn.

   1:00 · Fry chiles
4. 4

   Add the dried shrimp to the skillet and fry until fragrant and lightly crisp, about 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.

   2:00 · Fry shrimp
5. 5

   Transfer the fried shallots, garlic, chiles, and shrimp to a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground, scraping down the sides as needed.

6. 6

   Return the remaining oil to the skillet over medium-low heat and add the ground mixture along with the palm sugar, tamarind paste, fish sauce, water, and salt.

7. 7

   Cook, stirring frequently, until the paste thickens, deepens to a brick-red color, and the oil separates slightly at the edges, about 15 minutes.

   15:00 · Simmer paste
8. 8

   Remove from heat and let cool completely to room temperature before transferring to a clean jar.

9. 9

   Store covered in the refrigerator for up to one month, using a clean spoon each time.